Toilet seat



Dec. 28,' 1948. H. RICHARDS 2,457,726

TOILET SEAT lled Oct. 6, 1947 f- INVENToR.

Yage f EC/zarusf Patented 28, 1948 UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-ICE 'rom suram nanna. can. m. annum osunac. im, sem ne. 'nam s cmu. (ci. 4zw

- joints which comprise opposed hinges and opposed pivots, are amplystrong to sustain the sections in operative position. The entirestructure may be produced at relatively small expense, it is light andconvenient to handle, and it may be relied upon to give prolonged anddependable service.

A suggestive embodiment of my invention is set forth in the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the toilet seat opened out ready foruse:

Fig. 2 which is a similar view shows the seat in a first stage of thefolding operation;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the seatin its lnally folded state;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the seat opened out in operativeposition;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the seat in its fully folded state;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary detail in section, taken on line 1-1 of Fig, 2;and

Fig. 8 is an elevational edge view of the folded seat, looking from theline 8 8 of Fig. 6.

The seat comprises four sections interconnected by opposed hinges andpivots to form a generally rectangular frame having a central elongatedopening. The two rear sections A and Bwhich are alike in all respectsare connected by a hinge having leaves a and b, each joined to one ofthe sections. The hinge pintle lo is substantially aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the seat opening.

The section A has an inner edge I2 which is arcuate to join with asimilarly formed edge Il of the companion rear section B. The arcuateedges of the two sections together extend through slightly more than 180to deilne a maior part of the seat opening which is slightly elongatedin form.

Each of the seat sections may be formed of any suitable material such aswood, plywood, plastic, etc. Two forward sections C and D are alsoprovided to complete the seat. These sections are alike, being connectedby a hinge having leaves c and d each afllxed to one of the sections.The pintle i5 for this latter hinge is also aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the seat opening. The inner edges I6 and I8 of thesections-C and D respectively are of generally arcuate form to Join witheach other and with the arcuate edges l2 and I l so as to provide acentral opening having a smooth continuous edge.

y Each of the two forward sections C and D is connected to theassociated rear section A or B by pivot means which are identical. Forthis purpose there is amxed to the forward section C at its rearward enda plate 2| having a generally triangular tongue 2| which extends beyondthat section to overlap the end ofthe adjacent section A and. in turn,to be overlapped by a complementary plate 22 which is affixed to thesection A from which it is spaced by thickened marginal walls 23 therequisite distance to provide a narrow pocket for accommodation of thetongue 2|. In like manner the section D carries a similar plate llformed with a projecting tongue 3| which nts within a narrow pocketprovided by an overlapping plate 32 afllied to the section B from whichit is spaced by thickened marginal walls I3. At a point between theabutting ends of the sections A and C close to the inner edges thereof apin 25 extends through the complementary plates 2l and 22 to establish apivotal connection therebetween. A similar pivotal connection betweenthe complementary plates I0 and 32 is provided by a second pin Il whoselocation is relatively the same as the pin 2l. v

It will be noted that the longitudinal axis of the seat is substantiallyco-axial with that o1' the two pintls III and l5. 'I'he seat mayaccordingly be broken along this hinge line so as to fold over in theform of two plies, as suggested in Fig. 2. The axes of the pivot'pins 25and l5 are parallel, transversely of the plane of the seat, andequidistantly located opposite its longitudinal axis on directlyopposite sides thereof. In consequence, when the seat is given its iirstfold so as to reach the position of Fig. 2, the two pins 25 and Il willbe brought to coaxial positions substantially in end to end relation.When so disposed, but not until then, the sections C and D may be foldedin unison about the coaxial pins 2l and 35 which pivotally connect themto the sections A and B. When this is done the seat will be reduced tothe compact form and size which is shown in Figs. 3 and 6. Here it willbe observed the two front sections C and D, one lying against the other,are brought into proximity with the two back sections A and B which alsolie against each other, the curved opening therebetween beingsubstantially occupied by the folded sections C and D when in thisfolded state. The seat may then be fitted into a small case or envelope,which will protect it while stowed away in a bag or other receptable.When its use is again desired. a reverse procedure for opening the seatup is followed. 'I'his involves nrst a swinging movement about the twopivot pine 25 and 35 to extend the front sections outwardly of the rearsections, and 'then a further movement about the coaxial hinges to bringall four sections into a single plane.

The hinge connections aredesirably affixed to the under side of theseat. They may be recessed or -countersunk therein, or the under side ofthe seat may be faced with material which will cause the hinges tooccupy relatively sunken positions. These and other details ofconstruction may be optionally added to the seat but Without in any wiseaecting its novel character.

In summary, the seat comprises four arcuate sections arranged end to endin abutting relation to define a fully closed opening having alongitudinal axis, the two sections at one end of the seat beingcounterparts and'the two sections at the other end of the seat alsobeing counterparts but unlike the two sections first noted; andconnecting means between` the sections whereby they may be folded onceabout the longitudinal axis and thereafter folded again about a commonaxis in a plane transversely of the longitudinal axis about two pivotalconnections which, in the fully extended condition of the seat, aredisposed with their axes transversely of the plane thereof on oppositesides of the longitudinal axis and equidistant therefrom. By such avconstruction the seat is first doubled upon itself, then closed inwardlyto occupy a minimum space for stowage or for carrying.

I claim:

1. A folding toilet seat having a longitudinal axis comprising a pair oflike arcuate sections on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis at oneend of the seat and a seco-nd pair of like arcuate sections, on oppositesides of the longitudinal axis at the opposite end of the seat, each ofthe sections being arranged in end to end abutting relation with theadjacent sections, pivotal connections on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the seat having their axes disposed tranversely ofthe plane of the seat and joining one sectie-n of each pair with theadjacent section of the other pair, and hinge connections having theiraxes in mutual alignment with each other and with the longitudinal axisof the seat interconnecting two adjacent arcuate sections on oppositesides of the longitudinal axis of the seat.

2. A folding toilet seat having a longitudinal axis comprising a pair oflike arcuate sections on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis at oneend of the scat and a second pair of like arcuate sections, unlike thefirst pair of arcuate sections, disposed on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis at the lopposite end of the seat, each of the sectionsbeing arranged in end to end abutting relation with the adjacentsections, pivotal connections on opposite sides ofy the longitudinalaxis of the seat having their axes disposed transversely of the plane ofthe seat and joining one section of each pair with the adjacent sectionof the other pair, and hinge connections having their axes in mutualalignment with each other and with the longitudinal axis of the seatinterconnecting two adjacent arcuate sections on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the seat.

3. A folding Atoilet seat comprising four arcuate sections arranged endto end to dene a fully closed opening having a longitudinal axis onopposite sides of which the sections 'are symmetrically disposed, ahinge connection having its axis aligned with the longitudinal axis ofthe f plane of the seat, disposed at points equidistant from thelongitudinal axis of the seat and oppositely of each other joiningeach'of the two arcuate sections at opposite sides of the seat.

4. A folding toilet seat comprising four arcuate sections arranged endto endv in abutting relation to define a fully closed opening having alongitudinal axis on oposite sides of which the sections aresymmetrically disposed, a hinge connection having its axis aligned withthe longitudinal axis of the seat joining each of the two arcuatesections at opposite ends of the seat in a manner to permit a foldingthereof through substantially 180, and two pivotal connections joiningeach of the two remaining arcuate sections at opposite sides of theseat, the pivotal connections having their axes disposed at pointsequidistant from the longitudinal axis of the seat, transversely of theplane of the seat, oppositelj,r of each other, adapted to occupy coaxialpositions when the seat is once folded about its longitudinal axis topermit a further folding thereof about the common axis of the pivotalconnections whereby the two sections at one end of the seat may be swungtoward the two opposite sections to a position within the arcuatecontour thereof.

5. A folding toilet seat comprising four arcuate sections arranged endto end in abutting relation to dene a fully closed opening having alongitudinal axis, the two sections oppositely of the longitudinal axisat one end of the seat being alike and the two sections oppositely ofthe longitudinal axis at the other end of the seat being alike butunlike the two sections first named, hinge connections between each ofthe two like sections at opposite ends of the seat in line with thelongitudinal axis thereof, and pivotal connections between each of thetwo unlike sections at opposite sides of the seat disposed equidistantlyfrom its longitudinal axis and oppositely of each other with their axestransversely of the plane of the seat adapted to occupy coaxialpositions when the seat is once folded about the common axis of the twohinge connections to then permit one pair of like sections to swingtoward the other pair of like sections into nesting relation therewith.

6. A folding toilet seat comprising two pairs of arcuate sectionsarranged end to end to define a fully closed opening, the two sectionsof each pair being disposed on opposite sides of a line extendingdiametrically of the seat, a hinge connection having its axis alignedwith the line extending diametrically of the seat joining the twoarcuate sections of each pair, and two pivotal connections each havingits axis transversely of the plane of the seat, disposed at pointsequidistant from the line extending diametrically of the seat andoppositely of each other, joining two arcuate sections of oppositepairs.v

HARPER RICHARDS.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Fox Jan. 6, 1885

